Wednesday, December 19, 2012

It's not too early to start thinking about your plans in 2013. One to put on your calendar: "Come to the Table: People of Faith Relieving Hunger and Supporting Local Agriculture." There will be three conferences around the state in February and March.

Come to the Table is put together by RAFI-USA (Rural Advancement Foundation International), the Rural Life Committee of the N.C. Council of Churches, and the Duke Endowment. The conferences started in 2007 and have become great seeding fields for discussions that improve food access in North Carolina.

The conferences are all-day events that include workshops on subjects like "Food Insecurity: Why Our Neighbors are Hungry and What You Can Do," "Community Gardening 101," and "Supporting Farmers, Supporting Families: How Can Local Food Be Accessible?"

If your church or volunteer organization is trying to figure out how to harness local food to do good, you need to send someone to these gatherings.

Registration is on a sliding scale from free to $15. This year's conference schedule:

Monday, Feb. 4, at the Kinston Community Arts Council in Kinston.
Tuesday, Feb. 19, at UNC Greensboro.
Friday, March 15, at Southwestern Community College, Sylva.

You can register and get details at www.cometothetable.org. Or email Sarah Gibson, sarah@rafiusa.org or Francesca Hyatt at fhyatt@rafiusa.org.

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Books by Kathleen Purvis

"Bourbon: A Savor the South Cookbook," and "Pecans: A Savor the South Cookbook" are part of the UNC Press series on Southern cooking. Each one has more than 50 recipes for drinks, appetizers, main dishes, side dishes and desserts, part of a series with two dozen books on Southern ingredients and occasions.

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About this blog

Observer food editor Kathleen Purvis is a food journalist, cook and eater who focuses on food in Charlotte, the Carolinas, the South and beyond. She's a member of the Association of Food Journalists, the Southern Foodways Alliance and the James Beard Foundation awards committee. She also writes regularly for Our State magazine and other publications. Send questions and feedback to kpurvis@charlotteobserver.com.